The Verdict Page #32

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ANGLE:

The Bailiff swearing in Kathy.

BAILIFF:

...whole truth and nothing but the

truth, so help you God?

KATHY:

I do.

BAILIFF:

Be seated.

Kathy sits, the Bailiff retires, Galvin walks over to her.

GALVIN:

Kathy Price...

KATHY:

Yes...

GALVIN:

You were the Admitting Nurse at St.

Catherine Laboure Hospital on May

twelfth, nineteen seventy-six, the

night Deborah Ann Kaye was admitted...

KATHY:

Yes.

Galvin holds up a form.

GALVIN:

You signed this form?

She looks closely at it. Is satisfied.

KATHY:

Yes.

GALVIN:

These are your initials, 'K.C.'?

KATHY:

Kathy Costello. That's my maiden

name.

A beat.

GALVIN:

D'you ask the patient when did she

last eat?

KATHY:

Yes.

GALVIN:

What did she say?

KATHY:

She said she had a full meal one

hour before coming to the hospital.

GALVIN:

One hour.

KATHY:

Yes.

GALVIN:

And did you write the numeral 'one'

down on the record, standing for one

hour?

KATHY:

I did.

GALVIN:

A single hour.

KATHY:

Yes.

Galvin walks away from the witness box. He looks at the jury.

He turns to look at the spectators. His thoughts are a million

miles away. Unconsciously he straightens his tie.

ANGLE:

Galvin in front of the dead-still courtroom. He breaks his

reverie.

GALVIN:

(to Concannon)

Your witness.

Concannon is on his feet as Galvin walks back to his table.

Concannon walks over to Kathy and begins forcefully:

CONCANNON:

You are aware of the penalties for

perjury...?

KATHY:

It's a crime.

CONCANNON:

Yes.

(beat)

It is a crime. A serious crime.

KATHY:

I wouldn't do it.

CONCANNON:

You would not...?

KATHY:

No.

CONCANNON:

In fact, you've just taken an oath

that you would not commit perjury.

You've just sworn to that. Isn't

that right?

KATHY:

Yes.

CONCANNON:

Just now...

KATHY:

Yes.

CONCANNON:

...sworn before God you would tell

the truth?

KATHY:

(beat)

Yes.

CONCANNON:

Now. I'd like to ask you something:

four years ago, when you were working

as a nurse, are you aware that Drs.

Towler and Marx based their treatment

of Deborah Ann Kaye on this chart

that you signed...?

KATHY:

I...

CONCANNON:

And wasn't that an oath...? These

are your initials here: K.C. When

you signed this chart you took an

oath. No less important than that

which you took today.

(beat)

Isn't that right?

(beat)

Isn't that right...?

KATHY:

I... yes.

CONCANNON:

Then, please, which is correct? You've

sworn today the patient ate one hour

ago. Four years ago you swore she

ate nine hours ago? Which is the

lie. When were you lying?

KATHY:

I...

CONCANNON:

You know these doctors could have

settled out of court. They wanted a

trial. They wanted to clear their

names.

GALVIN:

Objection!

CONCANNON:

And you would come here, and on a

slip of memory four years ago, you'd

ruin their lives.

KATHY:

They lied.

CONCANNON:

'They lied.' Indeed! When did they

lie? And do you know what a lie is?

KATHY:

I do. Yes.

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